AN EYE TOWARDS HISTORY

About ORHPA

The Oak Ridge Heritage and Preservation Association (ORHPA) is a nonprofit historical society founded in 1999 to preserve and educate the public about Oak Ridge’s unique and rich technical and cultural history, and to work to preserve selected historical buildings of the WWII city and nuclear installations.

Oak Ridge was the most costly part of the Manhattan Project and its greatest gamble. Three large and different plants, first of their kind anywhere, consumed 89% of the Oak Ridge effort, each built in the hopes we could learn to enrich uranium-235 and beat Nazi Germany to the bomb. In addition, the world’s first plutonium production reactor for research was also built here.

PROTECTING THE LEGACY

The Oak Ridge
History Museum

THE ORHM IS CURRENTLY OPEN WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY 10-4 AND SATURDAY 10-3.

The Oak Ridge History Museum shines a light on the “human side” of the Manhattan Project, focusing on history and people’s day-to-day lives during World War II in Oak Ridge.

LEARN MORE

Admission

Adult

$1000

Military/Veterans

$800

Students

$800

Under 12

Free

Group Rate

$800/person

ACKNOWLEDGING ACHIEVEMENT

Preservation
Awards

ORHPA awards a Historic Preservation Award annually. The award is given to a public-use facility that reflects guide-lines outlined for historic preservation in the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and Guidelines for Archaeology and Historic Preservation.

2023

Old
Towne
Inn

2022

Railroad Maintenance Building

2021

Eric's
Diner/
Magic Wok

STAY UP TO DATE

In the News

SEE THE FULL BLOG

2024 Heritage Award – Jefferson Compounding & Soda Fountain

The Oak Ridge Heritage & Preservation Association (ORHPA) has selected Jefferson Compounding & Soda Fountain for its 2024 Historic Preservation...

ORHPA Highlights for 2023

These highlights begin with a big Thank You to the volunteers that keep our organization going, especially the Oak Ridge...

Hutment Exhibit Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony

The Oak Ridge History Museum is thrilled to announce the opening of its new Hutment Exhibit, which promises to transport...

ORHPA Membership Meeting with guest speaker Zach Foster

Please join us for an ORHPA Membership meeting Thursday, Feb 16, at 7pm.  Our guest speaker is Zach Foster, Archivist...

ORHPA 2022 Highlights and Message from Mick

Greetings!  A New Year is under way and indications are that it will be a good one.  Our membership is...

ORHPA Annual Meeting

Please plan to attend our Annual Meeting on Thursday, Dec 8, at 6:00 pm.  Our first order of business will...

Legends Behind the Plate

Oak Ridge Heritage and Preservation Association (ORHPA) celebrates Legends Behind the Plate. On Thursday, November 10, 2022, beginning at 6:30...

80th Anniversary of the Manhattan Project Celebration

The Oak Ridge Heritage and Preservation Association (ORHPA) and the Scarboro Community Alumni Committee are pleased to invite the community...

ORHPA Membership Meeting with guest speaker Martin Miller

**Due to technical difficulties on the 17th, this event has been moved to the 24th. We hope you will join...

ORHPA Highlights of 2021

As we begin to plan for 2022 it is good to first review the past year. Given it was another...

ORPHA 2020 Highlights

Happy New Year everyone! This past year was unique for sure. The Covid-19 virus caused many closures and changes in...

Ed Wescott Passes Away

It is with a heavy heart that ORHPA announces the death of James Edward Westcott on March 29, 2019..

Want to support the ongoing legacy
of our beautiful Secret City?